Ode to Headphones
by Tess Carichner
when the outside pierces the inside
car horns, shouts, bus brakes, undulating background chatter building
till annoyance becomes physical pain
my ears are folded in by my hands
my eyes are swollen in their tear-lined sockets
the vibrations that radiate from the impact of my heel on the ground are measured
with just one sound
from the conversations, the day, the peace - I am severed
my favorite gift was not very expensive
it was not trendy, then at least
it was an object and
a new way of knowing the world
over-the-ear headphones
now scratched, stickered, peeling
loved
something worn on the outside
to bring peace to
the inside
I left class one day
without them
my instructor ran after me
WAIT
what would you do without them?
some nights
they cushion my head as I drift to sleep
some evenings
they narrowly avoid water as I shower
most days
they are as essential as shoes
every day
they are a friend
a protector
Tess Carichner (she/her) is the editor of Accessing Disability Culture, a research assistant in the Digital Accessible Futures Lab, and a junior at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. Tess' passion is in understanding ableism in healthcare spaces, especially ableism perpetuated against autistic women and gender diverse people. She hopes to pursue further education and research in relation to anti-ableist healthcare practice and curriculum. When not in class or planning her next disability justice event as the founder of Disability Justice @ Michigan, Tess can be found thrifting her outfits, listening to audiobooks, showing people pictures of her dog (Toni), and collaging with recycled books.
In Ode to Headphones (2023), Carichner reflects on a piece of technology that, while casual in presentation, actually creates sensory access in her everyday life as an autistic person. The brief interaction in which an instructor urgently recognizes a piece of "casual" tech as an assistive device is an uncommon, yet necessary example of sensory needs being validated. Lastly, Carichner reflects on the user's regard of assistive devices, as the headphones become a part of the routine, the experience, and even the user herself.
Image description: Tess is a young white person with whitish-blonde wavy hair and freckles. She is smiling at the camera and standing in front of a blurred nature-green background. Tess is wearing a blue dress and a matching blue stone choker necklace.